Digital divide persists in Canada, both in access and Internet fluency

Digital divide persists in Canada, both in access and Internet fluency

No matter the lip service paid to bridging Canada’s digital divide, a new study finds gaps in technology-access persist. Worse still, researchers report that strides made in Internet penetration are being falsely perceived as having resolved this socioeconomic split when, in fact, the inequalities have just moved online.

“We can’t simply assume that access equates with efficient or beneficial use of the Internet,” said Michael Haight, the study’s co-author. “You need to combine access with appropriate digital literacy to really take advantage.”

In unpacking data from Statistics Canada’s 2010 Canadian Internet Use Survey – which plumbed 22,623 residents aged 16 and older – Western University researchers found education, income, age and location were all linked with significant disparity in people’s digital competency.

Out of a list of 25 online activities, such as checking email or looking up medical information, Canadians at the highest income level reported performing nearly two more tasks than those at the lowest income level over the previous 12 months. Similarly, with education, university graduates performed nearly five more activities online than those lacking a high school diploma.

The role of age was more complex: Among Canadians 16-54, researchers found a stronger relationship between education and online activities, while for Canadians 55 and older, income was a more important predictor of Internet proficiency.

“Seniors are the ones who’ve probably fallen behind the most, both in terms of access and skill. But where we need to be most aggressive is with the schools and universities,” said co-author Anabel Quan-Haase, noting that the stakes are higher for young people in terms of job-seeking and participation in the digital economy.

Access issues also persist, with a fifth of Canadians reporting that they hadn’t used the Internet even once in the previous 12 months.

Just 60 per cent of those in the lowest household income bracket (below $25,000) reported Internet use in the previous year compared to 95 per cent of those in the highest ($100,000-plus). Families making between $25,000 and $41,000 were 40 per cent more likely to use the Internet when compared to people whose household incomes were below $25,000.

People with family incomes between $41,000 and $65,000 were more than twice as likely to use the Internet as those in the lowest-income group; people in families with incomes between $65,000 and $100,000 were nearly three times more likely to go online; and people in families whose incomes topped $100,000 were five times more likely.

In terms of education, people with some post-secondary education (and who were no longer students) had Internet-use rates nearly 10 per cent higher than people with just a high school diploma, and nearly 50 per cent higher than those without a diploma.

Finally, those living in urban areas were 54 per cent more likely to use the Internet in 2010 compared to those in rural areas.

“This should be a real concern to government,” said Quan-Haase, an associate professor of information and media studies. “Canadians aren’t as connected as we think.”

A followup study is planned with low-income individuals to further examine the ways in which the Internet is – or isn’t – being used, and to determine ways that competency can be improved. Quan-Haase also proposes interventions at the school level, such as more robust digital literacy programs, and community-based education in rural and impoverished areas.

“It’s not about just access. It’s also about knowing what to do when you are online, and taking advantage of all these amazing services,” she said. “Our aim is to develop policies and practices for identifying gaps in digital skills and developing programs to meet future needs.”

The paper will be presented at this summer’s annual meeting of the American Sociological Association.